Occupational Health Nurse/CPR instructor

Specialties Occupational

Published

I am an Occupational Health Nurse who has been asked by my company to instruct & certify approximately 70 workers in CPR/First Aid/AED.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed, and am hesitant about this assignment. I provide first aid treatment to the workers on site, also case manage all work related & non work related injuries not only at the site where I work , but also 3 other plants in state,and am responsible for the return to work program.

I provide pre-employment and annual physicals/surveillance , drug testing etc. I am supposed to run a flu clinic this fall. I am the only one in my dept. and am feeling like I'm being spread too thin.

Are there any other Occ nurses out there who provide direct care, case manage and certify the workers in CPR/First Aid/AED?

Why don't you spread out the classes over several months so your renewals arent so close together...eg

8 employees 2 x a month x 4 months = 64 employees

month 5 stragglers and last 6 and the 2nd mtg that month have a new class instead of the refreshers. Offer a new class 2x a year... be inventive as well as make it easy on yourself!

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Specializes in Home health.
Why don't you spread out the classes over several months so your renewals arent so close together...eg

8 employees 2 x a month x 4 months = 64 employees

month 5 stragglers and last 6 and the 2nd mtg that month have a new class instead of the refreshers. Offer a new class 2x a year... be inventive as well as make it easy on yourself!

That sounds good, but in reality the workers were unreliable, you could sign them up for class and they wouldn't show up. It was really unreasonable to expect me to instruct these classes and provide first aid onsite the same day. The classes were at least 8 hours long and they expected me to make sure the workers were fed breakfast and lunch on these days. I had to pick up breakfast items before class and set up coffee and drinks then I had to pick up lunch for them and set up everything. In addition, I was to instruct the class too. It was a big corporation, but they were ridiculously behind the times. I am very glad to have left.

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Specializes in MHSA.

They should have had you contract with a local educator to come in for the actuals trainings and you could have organized the effort.

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Hi hb4hikes!

I should probably start a new thread.....but here I am:

Because I have a certificate in ASDs, I have been applying for jobs working with DD kids.....without so much as a bite. (I think total lack of pediatric experience may be a big part).

But I did get an interview for an Occupational Health nurse position I had applied for (thinking no chance) and had almost forgotten.

I had a successful telephone interview. But as for the next step, I haven't a clue what to anticipate (other than the obvious- OSHA regs, recordability, hazardous materials). Any suggestions?

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Specializes in Home health.

Companies are interested in nurses who have workers comp experience to handle work related injuries. I also was required to obtain audiometry and spirometry certification. Good luck on your interview!

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Thanks AnnemRN; where do I get those certs? A local community college? I'm in the Santa Clarita valley in CA.

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Specializes in Mostly: Occup Health; ER; Informatics.

For background and course information on spirometry, try http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/spirometry/

For background and course information on audiometry, try http://www.caohc.org

For worker compensation information, contact your state's worker compensation office. Many of them offer free or low-cost training, too.

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Thanks for taking the time to post that information; I really appreciate it, 3rdcareerRN!

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